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PCD News Summary for April 20, 2017

About the Journal: Published every Thursday, Preventing Chronic Disease (PCD) is a peer-reviewed online journal established by CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. The News Media Branch prepares press summary packets each week. To receive these press summaries on an embargoed basis, send an e-mail to media@cdc.gov. Please note that this e-mail list is for credentialed journalists only. All others, please visit Hookup to Health to sign up for e-mail updates.

Racial and Ethnic Subgroup Disparities in Hypertension Prevalence, New York City Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2013–2014

Survey findings show that a third of adults in New York City have high blood pressure – with specific subgroups at particular risk – suggesting the need for targeted prevention, screening, and disease management. Findings from the 2013-2014 New York City Health and Nutrition Examination Survey show that 1 in 3 New York City adults had hypertension. Hypertension prevalence varied by race and ethnicity, with 44 percent of non-Hispanic blacks, 38 percent of Asians, 33 percent of Hispanics, and 28 percent of non-Hispanic whites having hypertension. Even when accounting for differences in age, sex, education, and obesity, black and Asian adults were twice as likely to have hypertension compared to white adults. Two subgroups were at particular risk of hypertension: East/Southeast Asian adults (three times higher risk than non-Hispanic whites) and Dominican adults (twice the risk of non-Hispanic whites).

Do No Harm: Moving Beyond Weight Loss To Emphasize Physical Activity at Every Size

Providers may reduce the stigma obese patients often encounter in health care settings and improve outcomes by moving away from a focus on weighing patients and counseling about weight loss and toward emphasizing healthy behaviors. The stigma associated with a health care provider’s assessment of body weight can be associated with medication nonadherence, mistrust of the provider, and avoidance of medical care. Although a weight or BMI measurement is sometimes necessary for medical reasons, discussions about these numbers could be harmful. Researchers suggest that providers engage in conversations that emphasize health behaviors, such as increasing or maintaining physical activity, rather than weight. Patient-centered counseling that emphasizes behavior over body size can minimize the risk of stigma and help patients achieve health goals in a collaborative, supportive environment.

Note: Not all articles published in PCD represent work done at CDC. In your stories, please clarify whether a study was conducted by CDC (“a CDC study”) or by another institution (“a study published by CDC”). The opinions expressed by authors contributing to PCD do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CDC or the institutions with which the authors are affiliated. PCD requests that, when possible, you include a live link to the article in your stories.

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